Flurry
by mar-isu
Summary: Anakin experiences snow for the first time.


**AN:** This just happened to me. Well, not the whole Force lessons thing, but getting caught in a snow flurry on a day when I was comfortable in a windbreaker was a magical experience, and I decided that I must share it with Anakin.

**Disclaimer:** God owns the weather; Lucas owns Anakin and Obi-Wan. What's left for a poor college student except the words?

**Flurry  
**2/10/06

"Master, what is this?" Anakin asked as a large white puff fell out of the sky to land on the tip of his nose, kissing him briefly with cool wetness. The child giggled and leaned into the slight breeze, tuning his face towards the sky to catch more of the soft cold things on his cheeks and forehead.

Obi-Wan Kenobi blinked a particularly large snowflake out of his eyelashes, smiling at his young charge. Qui-Gon was four months dead now, and though his heart would forever grieve his Master, it eased something in his soul to hear Anakin's innocent joy. "It's called snow, Padawan," he answered. The air, while cool, was not uncomfortably cold and so the young Jedi Knight had no problem staying still to watch his exuberant companion as Anakin experienced this for the first time.

"Snow," the child whispered reverently. Then Obi-Wan suddenly found himself holding Anakin's heavy robe as his Padawan flung his arms wide and spun, the snowflakes dancing with the nine-year-old in an energetic reel. Obi-Wan tucked the robe under his arm, content to watch the snow make its lazy, meandering way to the ground.

Anakin started when one of the snowflakes meandered its way into his open mouth, melting on his tongue. The former slave went very still, trying to figure out what had just happened. When Obi-Wan used a small tendril of the Force to direct a second snowflake over Anakin's eyes and across the boy's lips, Anakin looked up at his Master. Obi-Wan smiled even more. Holding Anakin's gaze with laughing blue eyes, the Jedi Knight darted his tongue out to catch the white powder puff that hovered just in front of his lips.

Anakin's eyes widened. Then the child laughed out loud once again turning his face to the sky, sticking his tongue out and attempting to imitate his Master. The snow now falling thickly from grey clouds teased him, large clumps of snowflakes drifting near his face, and then dancing away when he tried to catch them. A few small flakes conceded defeat, but the big puffs that the boy was chasing coyly refused to surrender.

"Feel, Anakin," Obi-Wan counseled, snagging another puff out of the sky. "You know where the snowflakes are going to be. Just like you know where the rocks are in Beggar's Canyon."

The Padawan's eyes went blank for a while, a tremor racing through the Force as Anakin drew on it. Quietly and surely, the child stooped and reached out, catching the biggest clump yet in his cupped hands. The quicksilver returned to the boy's eyes and Anakin held the fast-melting snow mat up for his Master's inspection.

"Like this?" he asked proudly.

"Exactly like that," Obi-Wan confirmed, ruffling Anakin's hair. "Now try it on your tongue."

Anakin closed his eyes for a moment, then lunged, lapping a large snowflake from the air with playful laughter. Turning, he caught another just before it landed on his cheek. Again and again, the child darted, playing tag with the snow and this time winning. Obi-Wan basked in the happy glow of his far too grown up Padawan cavorting like a youngling with snow feathering around him. _Chosen One or no, he certainly is special, Master,_ the young Jedi Knight sent the thought winging its way to the Force even as the flurry died down.

It took Anakin a minute or two to realize that there were no more snowflakes for him to catch. Looking around, his eyes fell on his Master, standing a few feet away, smiling serenely.

"It stopped," the boy said, feeling strangely sad that something so wonderful would go away.

Obi-Wan heard the thought across the training bond and drew Anakin into his arms, wrapping them both in his robe. He brushed a light kiss over the child's spiky hair, just as Qui-Gon had done so many times when he was sad.

"Nothing lasts forever, Padawan," the young man soothed, learning the truth anew even as he taught it, "but if we remember it, nothing is ever truly gone."

And in the Force, Qui-Gon Jinn smiled as his Padawan took another step on the long road of healing.

**------------------**

**AN:** And this is where you, the reader, tell me, the author, exactly what you thought. If you sign your reviews I reply as soon as I check my e-mail.


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